The DNA trap: DNA testing companies and the potential misuse of sensitive personal data

The ability of any firm to demonstrate that there are robust ethical frameworks within it, intertwined with essential governance and corporate social responsibility is critical. Over the last decade and a half, a new form of firms known as DNA testing and genealogical companies has arrived on the radar of those who want to understand … Continue reading The DNA trap: DNA testing companies and the potential misuse of sensitive personal data

Guest Post: Legal changes and paradigm shifts: what we need to get the benefits of whistleblowing

Greg Lawton, patient & medicines safety, data protection and healthcare policy consultant, contributes to today’s guest post. Greg, who worked for Boots between 2006 and 2015 and in his final role was part of the manpower planning team that assessed staffing levels in the company's pharmacies, resigned in 2015 after he took his concerns about … Continue reading Guest Post: Legal changes and paradigm shifts: what we need to get the benefits of whistleblowing

Challenges and advantages of robotic nursing care: a social and ethical analysis

Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes, inter alia, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. This emerging field of technological advancement deals with the connection of perception to action and where that connection is to be "intelligent," then artificial intelligence (AI) plays a fundamental role in robotics. Robotic technology has … Continue reading Challenges and advantages of robotic nursing care: a social and ethical analysis

The alarming rise in the costs of drugs and the irresponsible behavior of pharmaceutical companies

Among all existing industries, the pharmaceutical sector is differentiated by the unique feature that it aims to fight diseases and conditions, thus directly contributing to the improvement of lives across the globe. With a focus on a basic human need such as health, pharmaceuticals have proven to be a highly profitable, prosperous, and ever-growing industry. … Continue reading The alarming rise in the costs of drugs and the irresponsible behavior of pharmaceutical companies

Thalidomide’s Return: A dark shadow still lurks within the pharmaceutical industry

Thalidomide is a synthetic drug developed in 1954 by German pharmaceutical company, Chemie Grünenthal, for use as a sedative in the treatment of insomnia and anxiety. Because of its purported atoxic nature, the use of this “wonder drug” quickly became widespread all over Europe. It was initially used to treat conditions like colds, headaches, and … Continue reading Thalidomide’s Return: A dark shadow still lurks within the pharmaceutical industry